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This guest post is from my dear friend, Cara, the creative genius behind Cara’s Cravings. If you’ve never tried her food, it’s a must. Make sure to stop by her blog. I’m so grateful to be able to share her with you today!
Ultimately parents-to-be want just one thing: a healthy baby. But let’s face it, there are a lot of nice-to-have’s too! Like a baby who sleeps and eats well, the latest and greatest in safe baby gear, and a freezer full of meals that can be pulled out on a moment’s notice. To take that a bit further, it’s even better if those meals are healthy and fit Mom’s and Dads’ dietary needs. After all, well-nourished parents will take much better care of that happy little baby.
I put together this freezer-friendly casserole with the idea that I’d love to drop it off in Amy and Joe’s kitchen when they welcome their baby boy home. In truth it was a challenge for me because when I hear the words “casserole” and “freezer friendly” the food that comes to mind is less than healthy and not always gluten-free. Dishes involving processed ingredients like canned soup, or lots of cream and butter. Layered pasta dishes packed with cheese. Of course there are gluten-free options like soups and chili, but I wanted something a little more than that. Something with multiple elements, and hearty enough to require a fork.
This is not your mama’s chicken pot pie. (My mom’s chicken pot pie came out of a box in the freezer, so that definitely holds true for me!) The sweet-and-lightly-spicy filling is made up of my favorite winter vegetables, creamy coconut milk, and of course, freshly roasted chicken. (Vegetarians, feel free to try chickpeas instead.) The biscuit-like topping is made of chickpea flour and coconut oil. Not only because they are gluten-free and heart-healthy, but because the flavors truly compliment the filling. Given that Amy and I seem to love many of the same ingredients, I have a feeling she’ll enjoy this as much as I did.
Congrats again, Amy and Joe!
A heart-healthy, nutritious gluten-free casserole perfect for making ahead of time or serving the same day. This recipe can be prepared in an 8x8" baking dish, or several smaller dishes. Try making it in 4 individual ramekins, or 2 loaf-size pans to enjoy one now and freeze rest for another meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120gm) chickpea flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (cold, in small pieces)
- 6 tablespoons light coconut milk
- 2 cups mixed roasted winter squash and/or root vegetables (such as butternut squash, rutabaga, carrots or parsnips)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 1/4 cup (1oz) coconut flour
- 1/4 cup raisins, loosely packed
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons light coconut milk, for brushing pastry
Instructions
- Combine chickpea flour, baking powder, psyllium husk powder, salt and cinnamon a food processor and whir until no lumps remain.
- Sprinkle in the coconut oil and pulse several times, until the mixture resembles crumbs the size of grated parmesan cheese.
- Add coconut milk, and pulse until mixture comes together in a rough ball.
- Gather the dough and press into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Note: If preparing to freeze, it isn't necessary to preheat the oven now.
- In a large nonstick saute pan, cook the onion and and zucchini over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add curry power, and stir until vegetables are coated.
- Measure the broth and coconut milk into a large glass measuring cup. Whisk in coconut flour until smooth. Pour the mixture into the saute pan. Stir in raisins. Increase heat to medium. When mixture begins to bubble, simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened.
- Stir in cooked roasted vegetables and chicken, and the cilantro. Turn off heat and transfer mixture to desired baking dish(es).
- Remove crust from refrigerator and place on countertop between two pieces of plastic wrap. Roll to 1/4" thickness and cut to desired shape(s). Place on top of chicken and vegetable mixture, either in one large piece or several smaller ones. Gather dough, re-roll, and cut as needed. Brush the top of the pastry with the last 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
- If baking immediately, place in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and top is lightly browned.
- To freeze for future baking, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months. When ready bake, preheat oven to 350ºF and unwrap the pot pie. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until filling is bubbly and the pastry is lightly browned.
Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 423.2
Total Fat 15.4 g
Saturated Fat 7.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Cholesterol 39.4 mg
Sodium 544.0 mg
Potassium 692.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 49.7 g
Dietary Fiber 14.9 g
Sugars 9.6 g
Protein 24.3 g
Cara Lyons is the author of Cara’s Cravings, a food blog dedicated to indulgent recipes for healthy living. Cara has found that the key to maintaining her 75lb weight loss is spinning her passionate love of all foods and cooking into enticing, wholesome recipes featuring clean and nutritious ingredients. She has proven to herself and those around her that healthy food is far from boring. On the contrary, it can be rich, interesting, and unexpectedly delicious. In addition to her blog, her original recipes can also be found in Clean Eating Magazine. Recently Cara has taken an interest in cooking “inclusively,” meaning, she enjoys dabbling in gluten-free, vegan, and other specialty diets, so that more people can enjoy her recipes.
Kristin @ Eating with Purpose
posted on February 16, 2012 at 11:51 am
Yum Cara, this looks amazing! I love, love, love curry, and in the form of a freezable casserole…. well, it just doesn’t get any better than that!! Thanks for the great healthy option, can’t wait to try it. Hugs, Kristin
[Reply]
Trish
posted on February 16, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Fantastic idea!! I’m with Kristin…LOVE anything that involves curry. I don’t digest chicken very well due to my ultra-sensitive and picky AB blood type and guts, so I would probably make this with turkey breast instead, or as the poster suggested with chickpeas. And I’d probably use my own GF biscuits simply because they bake up fluffier like traditional buttermilk ones…reminds me of my Kentucky Granny.
Thanks for sharing! Congrats on the impending bundle of joy, Amy. I don’t comment often (I think I follow too many blogs and then trying to keep my own, lol), but I follow your blog and love your recipes.
Hugs,
Trish xx
[Reply]
Alta
posted on February 16, 2012 at 2:00 pm
This sounds so comforting and lovely. I adore squash and root veggies and putting them in a pot pie sounds divine! The curry powder is a great idea too!
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Adrienne @ Whole New Mom
posted on February 16, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Amy, we LOVE curry! This looks wonderful! I’m thinking cauliflower and broccoli (or so many other veggies would be great as well! Thanks for sharing!
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Maggie
posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:45 pm
I am thinking the chick pea version will be amazing! Beautiful pics Cara, and a perfect dish for new parents. If only we could drop food off for them!
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Alyssa
posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:45 pm
I love this recipe! Pot pie is one of my favorites and I’ve been dying to make it Gfree! The fact that it’s curry flavored only makes the dish sound that much more delicious. I can’t wait to try this!
[Reply]
InTolerant Chef
posted on February 17, 2012 at 2:59 am
Love the sound of the recipe, and love the look of the dishes!
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Katrina (gluten free gidget)
posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:44 am
I am seriously diggin on that crust topping! That, and anything with curry in it is my love!
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Pat @ Elegantly, Gluten-Free
posted on February 17, 2012 at 7:24 am
A beautiful and tempting dish — and I love the artistic biscuits on top!
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Ellen (Gluten Free Diva)
posted on February 17, 2012 at 9:18 am
I love the idea of making biscuit-like toppings instead of having to cover the entire pot pie. Great idea. Beautiful presentation. And put curry and root veggies in anything, and I’m in! Thanks for sharing!
[Reply]
City Share
posted on February 20, 2012 at 10:12 am
That looks awesome! I love chicken pot pie, but haven’t made it since we have been avoiding grains. What a great idea to use chickpea flour. We have some of that on hand, and it seems like it would go well with the curry flavors. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Katrina (gluten free gidget)
posted on February 28, 2012 at 4:52 am
This sounds so amazing! I love your idea for the crust.
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Michelle @ Esculent Dreams
posted on February 28, 2012 at 11:29 am
YUM! Way to go Cara!
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Danielle @ Againstallgrain.com
posted on February 28, 2012 at 7:33 pm
That looks so good! We had meals delivered for a couple of weeks when my son was born and none of them looked like that!
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